trivia

See also: Trivia

English

Wikipedia

Pronunciation

• (Canada, UK) IPA^(key): /ˈtrɪviə/

  Rhymes: -ɪviə

Etymology

From Latin trivia, plural of trivium (“place where three roads meet”). The term came to be used for any public place, and then for anything commonplace. Furthermore, because the beginners course at university was called trivium, the word came to be used only anything basic, simple and "trivial" (quod vide).

Noun

trivia (plural trivia)

1. insignificant trifles of little importance, especially items of unimportant information

   These trivia take up too much of the day.

   This trivia takes up too much of the day.

2. A quiz game that involves obscure facts.

   I joined the trivia club this semester!

3. plural form of trivium

Usage notes

• Formerly, as word derived from a Latin plural, trivia required a plural verb, as in the first usage example above. Most modern authorities accept a singular verb, and this may be the preferred usage in the US. The game (2) is always regarded as a singular noun.

Derived terms

• administrivia, trivial, triviality, trivialize

Translations

insignificant trifles of little importance

• Dutch: trivia
• French: bagatelles (fr) f pl, fadaises (fr) f pl
• German: Trivia n pl, Varia (de) n pl, Nichtigkeiten (de) f pl

• Maori: kūrapa
• Polish: ciekawostka (pl) f
• Russian: ме́лочи (ru) f pl (méloči), пустяки́ (ru) m pl (pustjakí)

quiz — see quiz

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Latin

Noun

trivia

1. nominative plural of trivium
2. accusative plural of trivium
3. vocative plural of trivium

Adjective

trivia

1. nominative feminine singular of trivius
2. nominative neuter plural of trivius
3. accusative neuter plural of trivius
4. vocative feminine singular of trivius
5. vocative neuter plural of trivius

triviā

1. ablative feminine singular of trivius